Can a muslim celebrate a non muslim holiday like Thanksgiving? The Islamic Ruling Regarding Celebrating Thanksgiving Day IRFNY

Written By: irfny on November 26, 2013No Comment

Can a muslim celebrate a non muslim holiday like Thanksgiving?

Ruling on celebrating non-Muslim holidays and congratulating them

The Islamic Ruling Regarding Celebrating Thanksgiving Day

Praise be to Allaah.

Greeting the kuffaar on Christmas and other religious holidays of theirs is haraam, by consensus, as Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah: “Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for their religion fall into this error; they do not realize the offensiveness of their actions. Whoever congratulates a person for his disobedience or bid’ah or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah.” Congratulating the kuffaar on their religious festivals is haraam to the extent described by Ibn al-Qayyim because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. But the Muslim should not aceept the rituals of kufr or congratulate anyone else for them, because Allaah does not accept any of that at all, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. . .” [al-Zumar 39:7] “. . . This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion . . .” [al-Maa’idah 5:3] So congratulating them is forbidden, whether they are one’s colleagues at work or otherwise. If they greet us on the occasion of their festivals, we should not respond, because these are not our festivals, and because they are not festivals which are acceptable to Allaah. These festivals are innovations in their religions, and even those which may have been prescribed formerly have been abrogated by the religion of Islaam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the whole of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85] It is haraam for a Muslim to accept invitations on such occasions, because this is worse than congratulating them as it implies taking part in their celebrations. Similarly, Muslims are forbidden to imitate the kuffaar by having parties on such occasions, or exchanging gifts, or giving out sweets or food, or taking time off work, etc., because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah said in his book Iqtidaa’ al-siraat al-mustaqeem mukhaalifat ashaab al-jaheem: “Imitating them in some of their festivals implies that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the hope that they may have the opportunity to humiliate and mislead the weak.” Whoever does anything of this sort is a sinner, whether he does it out of politeness or to be friendly, or because he is too shy to refuse, or for whatever other reason, because this is hypocrisy in Islaam, and because it makes the kuffaar feel proud of their religion. Allaah is the One Whom we ask to make the Muslims feel proud of their religion, to help them adhere steadfastly to it, and to make them victorious over their enemies, for He is the Strong and Omnipotent.

Majmoo’ah Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 3/369)

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/947

Comments Abu Ammaar Saeed Ahmed

I saw couple signs boards of Halal Turkey near Muslim area on pillars, its like having Islamic Halal food on non related to Islam on non-Islamic day or Halal food on Haram day. An Islamic individual atleast required an Islamic knowledge of Tawheed and atleasthave a proper clear understanding of Shirk, Kufr and Bidah. Among three is, Bidah is most dangerous because it is a hidden stab of shaitan. A Muslim, who is not a investigator of Islam or knowledge seeker can be a victim of the evil Shaitan whispers that can lead a regular praying Salah, a person would not understand this attack.

The best example I always use, a person standing in before the mirror, a third person would find no difference between original and reflection. There is no difference between both sides, if you hide a mirror or stick in the wall with curtains around no one would know its real humanbeing standing or its just a reflection. Similar to, when a person crossing the glass door sometimes hit their head against it because its too clear and cleaned to realize it thats its a glass door and not an empty way to cross until you touch it or understand it to make sure its real crossing way but its just a relefection not original in the mirror. Thats how shaitan deceiving Muslims to immitate others and make it look good in their eyes.

Quran 27:24

“…Satan has made their deeds seem pleasing in their eyes, and has kept them away from the Path― so they receive no guidance― (24)”

Shaitan has found alternate way to lead people towards non-muslims customs and rituals.

Thats like having halal food in night club or having pork in masjid. Ignorant store owners selling Halal on Haram day.

Mostly likely obedients of Shaitan, argue or debate or ask for details, but rather will not just follow the way of Sunnah.

Question for them.

If the Prophet or Sahaba was alive today, would they let Muslims eat turkey or let celebrate this day or let Muslims involve in non-Muslm matters or rituals or customs, absolutely not.